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Category Archives: photography

I took a photography class. I should have taken Photoshop class. Bear with me while I try a few pictures…Just trying to see if these download faster and are appropriate for web uploading.

I have been using my I-photo and directly uploading them to Blogger. I think that was not a good idea asover the long holiday weekend I had difficulty uploading. Any one out there using iPhoto and how are you uploading to Blogger?

I know-I should have been using Photoshop, right? Just seems like an extra step?

Just can’t seem to get a rhythm going this week. Haven’t made much progress but I have been staying up way too late the last few nights. Just reading a good book. Have you read anything new lately?

My brothers came for the holiday weekend and we had a great time catching up. My youngest brother brought me an amazing old treasure. I had forgotten it and actually didn’t know who had ended up with it or if it was even in our possession anymore. Look at this….

Bad picture. Let me try again.

My dad’s old camera- he died nine years ago from cancer.

old leather lens cases

And a gorgeous, gorgeous old heavy duty tripod. The camera is not going anywhere once it is set up on this baby! And the best of all, my brother said I should have it since I am enjoying taking pictures as much as I do. I never wanted anything at the time-just my memories. Nothing could replace my dad. But now that I have it, it feels really special to be able to appreciate it. I think the only thing that is usable is the tripod and lens cases. There is film in the case but no batteries. I will probably take it to the camera store to see if I can retrieve the film.

Doesn’t really matter if I can use it. I am just enjoying this very old treasure. Thanks Dad! It felt like a hug from the past.

I really do love taking photos. I desperately miss my basic lens from my Nikon which will probably be gone for about another month. I didn’t realize how much I depended on my camera and and used it more than once each day. Those photo moments. Thank goodness for the factory warranty.

Not only do I enjoy shooting them, but I enjoy organizing them. Problem is that I have only been organizing them for about the past six months. If you do it right when you download them, you are all set. I have a nightmare of photos that need to be tended and organized.If I just do a little each week, I might be done in another few weeks-maybe ten years is more like it. And then there is editing them. I haven’t spent much time editing them either lately. And that is really pathetic because I have Photoshop Elements on this computer. What a mess!

Round Barn recently renovated in Morrisville, VT

So my question to you- How do you store your photos? Flickr? Picasa? Computer? Photoshop? So much info and so many places. I don’t even want to tell you what this looks like with my computer. Any info or recommendations would be great.

Paula’s photo of a Vermont Barn that she made some cool shelves and a clock from made me miss Vermont. And the lack of a schedule. The kids sports and school schedule is hard to get use to again.

Taking pictures of my pieces throughout the process doesn’t come naturally for me yet. I always have to stop myself and shoot a picture. Sometimes the mistakes are glaring and other times subtle. I think that actually downloading them to the computer takes it a step farther and I see even more mistakes. Today’s piece is a great example.

The purple border at the bottom of the quilt is not at all right-it looks out of place and stops the quilt right there.

Rotating the quilt didn’t solve the problem either. Guess I better keep going and take it off to see what might look better ! It’s a reminder to always use my camera BEFORE I sew

I had the day to myself on Saturday. Marc has traditionally taken the kids on a Saturaday to go shopping for me for a few hours and then he takes the kids to lunch. This year he drove to the little town where my daughter’s college is to have her join in as well. Yes, he is a great guy. So, I bopped around to a few new places and my goal was to only buy local.

I was having so much fun and I was successful- a felted snowman for a dear friend, a hand-dyed-silk scarf, some photo notecards from my photography teacher Diane Carroll Burdick and another photo print. Really relaxing and it was so nice to see this venue crowded and people supporting local artists.

I am trying to give original gifts this year which are made by area artists. I did finish quilting #6 last night and thought I would have a finish for you today but…I ran about 18 inches short on the binding. Hate to keep going and have to take it off if I can’t find the right match! Not exactly how I planned to start the week. You have to wait. As a consolation, one of my nighttime photos- fun to learn how to take pictures at night.

And one more, after Photoshop- I am addicted to it.

Thanks for all the comments – Look forward to picking the winner on Wed. Happy Sewing, my friends.

I have been saving my weekly photography “homework” for Sunday afternoons and usually drag some of the kids with me. But this week, with 60 degrees and sunny, no one wanted to come. They were too busy playing some kind of sport outside. So, I treated myself to a walk through a local botanical spot a few miles from my home, Frederik Meijer Gardens and Museum. It is filled with indoor and outdoor gardens and always some kind of art exhibit.

I saw so many great lines and angles I just couldn’t stop taking inspiration pictures.

Just balanced by the weight and angle of stone and nothing else. All stone transported here from Europe.

Great sculptures.

These guys just surprised me.

And more lines for you.

These are all unedited. The goal for the past few weeks was just to learn to shoot in manual mode-no editing. I never knew that you could make your pictures look so great with Photoshop.( Yup, there was much eye-rollling by the two teenagers when I made that comment to them. And the question by college girl-please tell me you aren’t putting unedited photos anywhere Mom?) I guess you just need to laugh at yourself when you have teen agers. As usual, I have much to learn but am a willing victim! I can’t wait to do more.

Addendum- I am not making a quilt out of the last fabrics I just showed you -those were my rejects or dye-overs. Those were pretty bad colors. I’ll try not to scare you too badly next time.